DECLARER-PLAY NOW AND LONG AGO

Jordan Peterson, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, said, “Don't compare yourself with other people; compare yourself with who you were yesterday.”

Sorry, Professor, but I wish to compare the level of bridge play today with decades ago. Back in the 1970s in the all-play-all European Team Championships, the winner was usually the country that won blitzes against all of the weak teams. Most points were gained from better declarer-play and defense. Now, though, there is so much instructive literature available that everybody plays competently. Bidding has become much more important.

Today's deal occurred during an expert-only tournament in 1954. How should South have played in three no-trump after a diamond lead to dummy's ace?

Declarer begins with only four top tricks: one spade, one heart and two diamonds. It looks natural to play on clubs, but if East is on the ball, that line fails. East wins trick two with his ace and returns a diamond to establish West’s suit.

Instead, South must strain to keep East off the lead. The right play is to run the spade queen at trick two. What can West do? His best defense is to take the trick and return a spade, but now declarer can attack clubs. He takes two spades, one heart, two diamonds and four clubs.

If you contract

bridge

DOWN 1 Optical glass 2 Beer ingredient 3 Twist out of shape 4 Look after 5 Fill up again 7 Figure in field 9 Hackneyed 11 Praise enthusiastically 12 Wildebeest 15 Dilute 16 Jewellery item 17 Chew at 18 Region

didn’t play this correctly, don’t criticize yourself too harshly. Back in 1954, every declarer but one led a club at trick two, suffering defeat. The sole successful South ran the heart nine at trick two, which worked because East had a heart honor. Copyright: 2019, United feature

syndicate